Straight-chain olefins each having one double bond in the molecule thereof are useful as basic chemical raw materials in the petrochemical industry, and the uses thereof differ depending on the positions of the double bonds in the molecules thereof. Internal olefins having a double bond internally are used as reaction raw materials of reactions such as hydrogenation and alkylation. Meanwhile, terminal olefins having a double bond terminally are used for reactions such as dehydrogenation, hydroformylation and oligomerization. Terminal olefins of C4 to C8 used with ethylene as comonomers among terminal olefins when linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) is produced (for example, 1-butene, 1-hexene, and 1-octane) is economically important, in particular. Additionally, 1-butene is used also for producing butadiene, 1-polybutene, and buteneoxide.
Straight-chain olefins having a double bond terminally (for example, 1-butene) can be produced, for example, by isomerizing straight-chain olefins having a double bond internally and corresponding thereto (for example, 2-butene) by catalysts.
For example, catalytic reactions in which straight-chain olefins having an internal double bond are isomerized to straight-chain olefins having a terminal double bond are disclosed in Patent Literature 1 to 5.